Measles Case Confirmed; Risk of Exposures in Fairfax County

The Fairfax County Health Department is investigating a laboratory-confirmed case of measles. The individual is a child who was treated at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus but is no longer contagious.

While the child was age-appropriately vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, it takes two doses of MMR vaccine to provide full protection against measles. At this time there are no other documented cases of measles in the area.

The individual was at several locations in Fairfax County in the past week and could have exposed others to the measles virus. The Health Department is attempting to notify anyone who may have been exposed while the patient was infectious to prevent further spread of measles.

Persons who were at the locations below during the times listed may have been exposed to the measles virus and should call the Health Department at 703-267-3511, (TTY 711) to determine their risk for measles. Preventative treatment may be recommended for those who were exposed and are unvaccinated and who may be at high risk, such as pregnant women, infants younger than 12 months and people with severely compromised immune systems.

Measles is a highly contagious, serious respiratory disease. Symptoms can include fever greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes and cough, followed by a blotchy rash that appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Measles is particularly dangerous for infants who cannot be immunized until they are at least six months old.

Persons who were present at any of the locations listed above during the exposure times should call their health care provider if they experience any symptoms of measles. Contact your doctor’s office or the emergency room and tell them that you may have been exposed to measles.

The last date when a person would develop symptoms from this exposure is Oct. 26.

The Health Department is experienced in conducting measles outbreak investigations and is implementing its response plan to prevent further spread of the disease. The last confirmed case of measles involving Fairfax County was in May 2015. There were no secondary cases.

More Information

A call center has been established to address concerns and answer questions about measles. Anyone concerned about exposure to measles is encouraged to call the Fairfax County Health Department at 703-267-3511. The call center hours are:

More about Measles

Symptoms:

Followed by a rash that is red, raised and blotchy. The rash begins on the face at the hairline and moves down the body.

How it is spread:

Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing and is highly contagious. The virus can live on surfaces or in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed for up to two hours.

People with measles may be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the day the rash appears.

Preventing measles:

People are protected against measles if they have been adequately vaccinated or if they have had measles in the past.

Two doses of MMR vaccineprovide full protection against measles. Children routinely get their first dose of the vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at four to six years of age.

Use this opportunity to review your vaccination status and talk to your healthcare provider or local pharmacy about the availability of MMR vaccine. The Health Department also has MMR vaccine available for both children and adults.

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for measles. People with measles need bed rest, fluids and control of fever. Patients with complications may need treatment specific to their condition.

What to do if you were at one of the above locations at the time specified:

If you have received at least one dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the past, your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low. Certain groups of adults may be at increased risk for exposure to measles and should receive two doses of MMR, including college students, healthcare workers and international travelers.

If you or a family member has not received the MMR vaccination and you were present at one of the locations listed above during the exposure time, please call the Health Department at 703-267-3511 to be assessed for your risk of exposure.

What to do if you think you have measles:

Contact your health care provider by phone and let them know that you may have been exposed to measles.

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